San
Joaquin County
Biographies
WILLIAM PRESZLER
Among the successful vineyardists of
San Joaquin County, one who has spent the greater part of his life in the
county is William Preszler, the owner of a fine thirty-seven acre vineyard near
Victor. He was born in Hutchinson
County, South Dakota, on December 25, 1896, a son of George and Margareta (Schnaidt) Preszler, both parents
natives of South Russia who were born near Odessa, and came from their native
country and settled in Hutchinson County, South Dakota, when very young. His father, George Preszler, farmed a
half-section of land in Hutchinson County until 1901, when he came to San
Joaquin County and purchased his home place, which he improved to vineyard, and
has purchased other ranches in the vicinity of Victor. The parents of his mother were farmers in
Russia who also settled in Hutchinson County, South Dakota. William Preszler is the third oldest in a
family of eight children, as follows:
Edward; Emma, Mrs. Kirschenmann; William, our
subject; Henry, Allina, Ida, Martha and Lenhardt.
William Preszler obtained his
education in the Lockeford and Victor district schools, but reading and
observation supplemented his schooling.
He assisted his father on the home ranch until he started out for
himself, and it has been due to his own inherent qualities of manhood and
character that he has won a successful career.
The marriage of Mr. Preszler
occurred on April 2, 1920, and united him with Miss Leontina
Heil, a daughter of Peter and Caroline (Neuhardt) Heil, both natives of
Russia. In 1887 Peter Heil came to
America and settled in South Dakota, where he obtained work on the great Dakota
farms. In December of 1906 the family
came to California and located on land near Victor, and at once planted it to
vineyard. Since that time, Mr. Heil has
bought, improved and sold a number of ranches throughout San Joaquin County,
which have netted him a good profit.
Besides his farming interests, Mr. Heil is an independent packer,
shipping through the Peppers Fruit Company, and his investments and activities
have made him independent financially.
There were eleven children in the family, only seven of whom are now
living: Emanuel, Ella, now Mrs. Edward Preszler, Leotina, now Mrs.
William Preszler, Freda, and Theodore were all born in the Dakotas; Eugene and
Regina are natives of California. Mrs.
Preszler received her education in the Alpine and Victor schools. She also studied piano and organ, being
talented in music. Mr. and Mrs. Preszler
are the parents of one son, Neil William.
Mr.
Preszler served seven months in the Unites States Army. Enlisting on August 1, 1918, he was sent to
Camp Lewis in Company E of the First California Infantry, and after seven
months service was discharged at the Presidio, San Francisco, and immediately
returned to his home in San Joaquin County.
He has recently completed a fine modern bungalow on his ranch property
and his vineyard is irrigated from the irrigation plant owned by his father,
his brothers, and himself; a large twelve-inch pumping plant, thirty-horsepower
motor, pumping water from the Mokelumne River and giving them a flow of water
sufficient to irrigate 170 acres. This
system is a very valuable asset to his vineyard. He is a stockholder in the Northern California
Fruit Company, Inc., that handles the fruit grown by ten members, who are
independent packers and shippers. He is
a member of Lodi Post No. 2, American Legion.
He and his wife are members of Salem Reformed Church in Lodi, and take an
active interest in its benevolences. The
neat and thrifty appearance of his ranch, coupled with the handsome competence
which he receives each year from his harvests, plainly indicates that his
vocation was wisely chosen and that success has rewarded him for his
labor. In 1923 Mr. Preszler purchased
two vineyards comprising 15-1/2 acres, both highly improved and located near
his home ranch.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1084-1087. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Genealogy
Databases